Courses

Choosing a course is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make! View our courses and see what our students and lecturers have to say about the courses you are interested in at the links below.

About NUI Galway

Since 1845, NUI Galway has been sharing the highest quality teaching and research with Ireland and the world. Find out what makes our University so special – from our distinguished history to the latest news and campus developments.

Staff Profiles

Dr Padraic Kenna

Contact Details

Title

Lecturer>Bar/College Lecturer

Address

Dept. of LawRoom 502, Floor 3Tower 2, Arts/Science BuildingNUI Galway

Telephone:

Ext. 3230

Email:

ei.yawlagiun@annek.ciardap

Biography:

Padraic Kenna is a graduate of the School of Law, University of Warwick and holds a PhD from NUI. At University College London he studied the Law of Property Development and Company Law. He has worked with a range of statutory and other agencies in the UK and Ireland in an advocacy role and in the development and management of housing. Dr Kenna lectures in real property/land law, law of equity and trusts, Irish legal systems, sociology of law, housing law and policy, regulation, English land law, law of local government and other topics, to the LLB, BCL, LLM in Public Law and other graduate and post-graduate courses. He has examined international human rights and housing law with particular reference to the application of international and comparative legal instruments and norms to Irish housing law and policy, leading to Housing Rights and Human Rights (Brussels, FEANTSA, 2005) and Housing Law and Policy in Ireland, (Dublin, Clarus Press, 2005). His most recent publication Housing Law, Rights and Policy (Dublin, Clarus Press, 2011) provides a comprehensive examination and critical analysis of contemporary housing law and policy. Dr Kenna established, with others, the FEANTSA Expert Group on Housing Rights, in 2004, which led to the decision of the European Committee for Social Rights Collective Complaint relating to Article 31 of the European Social Charter by France (FEANTSA v France). A Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of both the International Journal of Law in the Built Environment and the Irish Human Rights Law Review he was one of the Irish Legal Experts Group for the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRALEX) until 2010. Dr Kenna is also affiliated to the NUI, Galway, Centre for Disability Law and Policy where he is engaged in research, teaching and PhD supervision. He joined the Law School in 2002.

Research Interests

The development
of socio-economic rights and their implementation in the areas of housing,
land and property law and policy, across the national and regional systems
and approaches, is a key research interest. The impact of rights on
regulatory systems and processes forms a core focus.

The impact of
globalisation on housing and land law and policy, the development of
international housing rights and international developments in housing law
and policy, particularly at European level.

Dr Kenna is
available for PhD supervision and welcomes applications/proposals from
suitably qualified and interested PhD candidates in the areas of housing
law and policy, land law, housing rights, socio-economic rights,
globalization and housing rights, mortgages and housing finance, social
housing, regulation, disability law and policy, law reform and related
topics.

Current PhD Students:

Karen Lynch-Shally: Towards a Sustainable European
Mortgage System: The Role of Regulation.
Deirdre Halloran: Community Benefit Clauses in Public
Procurement Contracts in the context
of EU law. Sandra Murphy: A Comparative Analysis of the Reform and Modernisation of Land and Property Conveyancing.

Current Research Projects: Project
Director/Principal Investigator on EU Commission Pilot Project promoting
the right to housing - Homelessness prevention in the context of evictions -
VT/2013/056. The research involves a detailed examination of evictions across the 28 European Union (EU) Member States. In 2014 and
2015, the research will investigate the national
legal frameworks and extent of evictions across Europe. It will examine
evictions from mortgaged, rental and other properties, with a focus on the
right to housing within the context of national and EU law.

The core research team includes housing experts from Belgium, Denmark, Germany
and Spain, while a network of national experts on housing law and policy across
all EU Member States will collate national and local data, including legal
materials, for the project’s report to the European Commission.

The research will also identify effective early intervention and
preventative measures, as well as creating a profile of evicted households,
risk factors and risk groups. Patterns of evictions across all EU Member
States will be analysed in the context of diverse structural factors, the
economic crisis, welfare systems, legal practices and protections, and other
factors. Measures which prevent homelessness within all EU Member States remain
a priority for the European Commission. This project will collate and evaluate
the most cost-effective measures which can be advanced to mitigate evictions
across the EU. The core research team will prepare reports and recommendations
for the European Commission on best practice models, to monitor, alleviate and
prevent evictions, within the framework of national and EU law and policy.

The
project was awarded following a competitive tendering process by the European
Commission. Funded by the European Commission, DG Employment,
Social Affairs and Inclusion, Europe 2020: Social Policies, Social Inclusion
and Poverty Reduction, this pilot project supports
the EU poverty reduction and active inclusion strategy through combatting
homelessness, reducing housing vulnerability and promoting access to quality
and efficient social services as underpinned by the Europe 2020 Strategy and
the Social Investment Package.

Kenna. P (2011) 'Can international housing rights based on public international law really impact on contemporary housing systems?' In: Fox L. & Sweeney J (eds). The Idea of Home in law - Displacement and Dispossession. Aldershot: Ashgate. [ARAN Link] [Details]

Kenna, P. (2007) 'International Standards and Mechanisms on the Right to Social Security' In: Nandini, C.P (eds). The Right to Social Security - International Perspectives. Hyderabad: The ICFAI University Press. [Details]

Kenna, P. (2003) 'A Right to Housing: Is it More than a Mere Right to Shelter in Market Societies like Ireland?' In: Housing Rights: A New Agenda. Dublin: Threshold. [Details]

Kenna, P. (2002) 'Human rights for all; A Study on the current use and future potential of UN human rights instruments in the context of disability' In: Degener, T & Quinn, G (eds). Human rights for all; A Study on the current use and future potential of UN human rights instruments in the context of disability. Geneva: Geneva: OHCHR. [Details]

Kenna, P. Mikkola, M. & Mullen, T. (2009) Recommendation of the Commissioner for Human Rights on the implementation of the right to housing Strasbourg, 30 June 2009 CommDH(2009)5. Council of Europe, Strasbourg. [Details]

Book Review

Conference Paper

Kenna, P. (2011) European Network of Housing Research, Legal Aspects on Housing, Land and Planning Conference. The concept of 'adequate' housing in the jurisprudence of international housing rights across Europe Legal Change in European housing, land and planning law, European Network of Housing Research, Legal Aspects on Housing, Land and Planning Conference. Granada, Spain: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2011) Rights to Adequate Housing within UN instruments, European Social Charter and Revised Charter, European Convention on Human Rights and other instruments'. Office of Public Defender. Tbilisi, Georgia: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2010) Institutions in Irish law to improve access to a home. International Conference on Housing. Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona,Catalonia, Spain: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2009) Are housing rights advocates overlooking the home, as well as missing some key aspects?. Conference on Home: Displacement and Dispossession. University of Durham: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2009) Financial crisis, recovery plans, and their impact on the housing market. CECODHAS Seminar - The recovery plans in the EU Member States and the place of housing/social housing. Brussels: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2008) The Impact of FEANTSA v. France Collective Complaint Decision of the European Committee on Social Rights. Presentation to Faculty of Law. University of Barcelona: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2006) The adequacy of the open method of coordination for improving the fundamental rights policy of the Union. Seminar on Reflexive Governance: A Fundamental Rights Policy in the Public Interest: The Decentralized Implementation of Fundamental Rights in a Single Area. Brussels: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2006) The Housing Act 1966 - Is it time for new one?. Ballymun Community Law Centre Seminar. Ballymun Community Law Centre: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2005) The Impact of the European Convention on Human Rights on Social Housing Policy and Practice in Ireland. Irish Council for Social Housing, Biennial National Social Housing Conference. Sligo: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2005) The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and Housing. European Social Housing Week, CECODHAS, the European Liaison Committee for Social Housing. Brussels: Conference Paper [Details]

Kenna, P. (2005) The Right to Housing Assistance - What does it mean?. European Conference. Building Social Policies on Fundamental Rights. EU Social Platform. Brussels: Conference Paper [Details]

Committees

Committee : Member of Board of Sli Eile Housing Association, which specialises in the housing of people with mental health disabilities and undertakes active campaigning work in this area.

Committee : Member of Board of Western Housing Association - housing association for people with disabilities.

Committee : Member of the Academic Network on the European Social Charter

Committee : Member Irish Association of Law Teachers

Committee : Member of the European Network of Housing Researchers

Committee : Chairperson of FEANTSA EU-wide Expert Group on Housing Rights, which is advancing housing rights across EU States.

Committee : Board Member and Treasurer of Irish Council for Social Housing

Committee : Lecturing on a range of law subjects, including Law of Equity and Trusts, Land/Property Law, Irish Legal Systems, English Land Law, Sociology of Law, Housing Law and Policy, Law and Local Government and Law, Regulation and Policy.

Committee : Member of Expert Group appointed by Council of Europe, Office of the Commissioner on Human Rights, to develop Housing Rights Guidelines.

Committee : Centre for Landscape Studies

Committee : Member of the Disability Law and Policy Research Unit at NUI Galway

Committee : Member of Editorial Advisory Board of International Journal of Law in the Built Environment.

Committee : Research Office Grant in Aid of Publications Committee

Committee : College of Business, Public Policy and Law Executive

Committee : Law School Executive

Employment

Employer: Brent Irish Advisory Service Position: Coordinator

Employer: Innisfree Housing Association Position: Director

Employer: Galway Simon Community Position: Director

Employer: National University of Ireland, Galway Position: Lecturer in Law

Teaching Interests

Housing Law and Policy

Irish Legal Systems

Housing and Socio-economic rights

Land Law

Sociology of Law

Law of Local Government

Regulation and Governance

English Land Law

Disability and Housing

Socio-economic rights law

Human Rights Law

About NUI Galway

Founded in 1845, we've been inspiring students for 170 years. NUI Galway has earned international recognition as a research led university with a commitment to top quality teaching.

CONTACT

National University of Ireland
Galway,
University Road,
Galway, Ireland
T. +353 91 524411